Energy mass balanceCostingEquipment sizingE-fuels

Fixed-bed methanol-to-gasoline (MTG) co-product unit

Mobil fixed-bed MTG as at Motunui: gasoline, LPG and fuel gas per tonne of methanol, recycle compressor power, reaction heat, installed CAPEX and levelised cost of gasoline, on three sourced product slates or your own quote.

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CurrencyEUR 2008
Battery limitinstalled
73 documented assumptions
Updated2 Nov 2026

Mass and energy balance

What the asset draws and delivers for the case and load you choose.

Reference case

Operating hours90.0 %

Hours per year at design feed. 7884 h is PNNL's 90 % stream factor. Run fewer hours, for instance as a swing outlet while jet demand is met elsewhere, and the capital, O&M and catalyst are spread over fewer tonnes.

Flows

Annual quantities at the current usage. Outline: full capacity, 8,760 h. Fill: 90.0 % capacity factor. Band width: share of energy in; non-energy flows are not to scale.

Methanol feed

Pure methanol fed to the MTG unit at design load, 25 to 400 t/h. Motunui ran about 183 t/h (4400 t/d water-free); the CAPEX anchor is the PNNL design at 41.57 t/h, so the scaling law extrapolates from 0.6 to 9.6 times its anchor.

Gasoline output: — t/h
LPG and fuel gas: — t/h
Recycle and hydrogen compressor power: — MW
Motunui-size MTG reactors: — count

CAPEX

Specific cost at this size, what backs it, and how it behaves with scale.

Specific CAPEX at this size

—

Reference size 41.57 t/h

NREL TP-47594 Appendix D.

CAPEX source

Model value: PNNL installed cost of the MTG area, scaled with exponent 0.65 on methanol feed. Customized: your figure replaces it at every size, with no scaling law; the value is then no longer sourced.

Specific CAPEX applied by methanol feed

Ex-factory
Installed· this figure
Fully financed

CAPEX at the battery limit—

Working capital, contingencyproject level

Included

Equipment
Installation, civil works and engineering

Not included

Working capital
Contingency

Added at project level

Working capital layer, from the project settings
Contingency, from the project settings

Project figures

Values passed to project mode when this asset is added to a project.

Fixed-bed methanol-to-gasoline (MTG) unitConcept sketch, not to scale · drag to rotate

Methanol in: —
Electricity (recycle and hydrogen compressors) in: —
MTG gasoline (durene-treated) outMain product: —
LPG out: —
Fuel gas out: —
Reaction water out: —
Reaction heat (steam raising) out: —
CAPEX to the battery limit: —
Fixed O&M: —
Variable O&M, excluding feedstocks: —
Asset lifetime: 20 years

Levelised cost of gasoline

A standalone indicator for a quick read. Project mode recomputes it for the whole system.

—

Methanol component—
Capital component—
Fixed O&M component—
Catalyst component—
Electricity component—
Co-product credit—

Linked to the balance above

Operating hours90.0 %

Methanol price

EUR/t

Delivered methanol price, about 98 % of the gasoline cost. 963 EUR/t is the renewable-methanol price of Ruokonen et al. (2021), Table 2.

Electricity price

EUR/MWh

Price of the electricity for the recycle and hydrogen compressors. 39.6 EUR/MWh is Ruokonen et al. (2021), Table 2.

LPG and fuel gas credit

EUR/t

Price at which the LPG and fuel gas are valued, deducted from the gasoline cost. Zero by default: no credit is assumed.

Discount rate (real)

Real rate for the capital recovery factor. 10 % is the IRR of PNNL-18481 Table 3-3.

Economic lifetime

years

Years over which the capital is recovered. 20 years is PNNL's plant life (Table 3-3).

Levelised cost of gasoline by operating hours

Benchmarks

This model's figures against published references and reference cases.

Gasoline share of hydrocarbons, %

79.9 NZIC p. VII-Energy-D-Methanol-15.

82 NREL TP-47594 Table 13.

85 PNNL-18481 p.6.

90 NZIC p. VII-Energy-D-Methanol-14.

Reference cases at this size and usage

All results

Every model output at the current settings, grouped, with the sensitivity charts.

69 outputs · 8 groups · 22 also shown above, dimmed

Levelised cost

Levelised cost of gasoline: ComputingEUR/t
MTG conversion cost: ComputingEUR/t
Methanol component: ComputingEUR/t
Capital component: ComputingEUR/t
Fixed O&M component: ComputingEUR/t
Catalyst component: ComputingEUR/t
Electricity component: ComputingEUR/t
Co-product credit: ComputingEUR/t
Methanol share of the levelised cost: Computing%
Load penalty on capital: Computingratio

Annual costs

Total annual cost: ComputingEUR/year
Methanol cost: ComputingEUR/year
Annualised CAPEX: ComputingEUR/year
Fixed O&M: ComputingEUR/year
Catalyst replacement: ComputingEUR/year
Catalyst cost per tonne of methanol: ComputingEUR/t
Electricity cost: ComputingEUR/year
Co-product credit: ComputingEUR/year

Capital cost

Installed CAPEX: ComputingMEUR
Installed CAPEX (EUR): ComputingEUR
Specific CAPEX applied: ComputingMEUR/(t/h)
Specific CAPEX (model): ComputingMEUR/(t/h)
Size relative to the PNNL anchor: Computingratio
PNNL indirects not included: ComputingMEUR
Capital recovery factor: Computing1/year

Yields

Gasoline yield: Computingt/t
Gasoline share of hydrocarbons: Computing%
Methanol per tonne of gasoline: Computingt/t
LPG and fuel gas yield: Computingt/t
LPG share of the side stream: Computing%

Flows

Gasoline output: Computingt/h
LPG and fuel gas: Computingt/h
LPG output: Computingt/h
Fuel gas output: Computingt/h
Reaction water: Computingt/h
Annual methanol: Computingt/year
Annual methanol (kt): Computingkt/year
Annual gasoline: Computingt/year
Annual gasoline (kt): Computingkt/year
Nameplate gasoline output: Computingt/year
Annual LPG: Computingt/year
Annual fuel gas: Computingt/year
Annual reaction water: Computingt/year
Design operating hours: Computingh/year

Reactors and recycle

DME formed in the DME reactor: Computingt/h
Water from the DME step: Computingt/h
Methanol passing the DME reactor: Computingt/h
Recycle gas flow: Computingkmol/h
ZSM-5 inventory: Computingt
DME catalyst inventory: Computingt
Durene in raw gasoline, low: Computingt/h
Durene in raw gasoline, high: Computingt/h
Durene to convert, high case: Computingt/h

Heat and electricity

Reaction heat: ComputingMW
Heat in the DME reactor: ComputingMW
Heat in the ZSM-5 beds: ComputingMW
Reaction heat per year: ComputingMWh/year
Recycle and hydrogen compressor power: ComputingMW
Compressor electricity per tonne of methanol: ComputingMWh/t
Electricity per tonne of gasoline: ComputingMWh/t
Annual electricity: ComputingMWh/year

Published references

Stoichiometric CH2 yield (check): Computingt/t
Motunui LPG share: Computing%
Installed CAPEX at the PNNL anchor: ComputingMEUR
Specific CAPEX at the anchor: ComputingMEUR/(t/h)
Capital recovery factor, PNNL basis: Computing1/year
PNNL anchor feed: Computingt/h
Motunui methanol feed: Computingt/h
Motunui-size MTG reactors: Computingcount

Sensitivities

5 charts

Levelised cost of gasoline by component vs operating hours

MTG conversion cost vs operating hours

Installed and specific CAPEX vs methanol feed

MTG conversion cost vs methanol feed

Gasoline and LPG + fuel gas vs methanol feed

Sources

73 documented assumptions · 5 sources

About

Calculator context

Screening techno-economics for a Mobil fixed-bed methanol-to-gasoline unit, the commercially proven outlet for methanol (Motunui, New Zealand) and the fallback or swing outlet of a methanol-to-jet site while MtJ-SPK is not yet ASTM-annexed. Methanol is first dehydrated over alumina in a DME reactor (about 75 % of it, NZIC), then converted over adiabatic ZSM-5 swing beds diluted by 9 mol of recycle gas per mol of methanol (PNNL-18481); a de-ethaniser, debutaniser and splitter separate the products, and heavy-gasoline treatment converts the durene that raw MTG gasoline carries at 3-6 wt %, against 0.2-0.3 % in conventional gasoline (NZIC). The mass balance is stoichiometric: each tonne of methanol gives 0.44 t of hydrocarbons and 0.56 t of water (NREL TP-5100-47594 Table 13; the molar-mass check gives 0.438). The reference case sets the gasoline share of those hydrocarbons: 85 % in the PNNL design, 79.9 % in Motunui's measured slate, 90 % at the NZIC upper end; NREL's fluid-bed MTG, 82 %, is shown as a reference. The reaction releases 1740 kJ per kg of methanol, about 20 % of it in the DME step. The recycle and hydrogen compressor is scaled linearly from PNNL's 3.0 MW at 41.57 t/h, a single anchor. CAPEX is PNNL's equipment cost for MTG, gas fractionation and HGT (24 M$2008) times its installed-cost factor of 2.47, converted at the 2008 ECB rate and scaled with NREL's exponent 0.65 on methanol feed; it is exported as installed, and PNNL's indirects (126 % of equipment) are shown but not added. Fixed O&M is 4 %/yr of installed CAPEX and the ZSM-5 is replaced every year (NREL). With methanol at 963 EUR/t (Ruokonen et al. 2021), methanol is about 98 % of the levelised cost of gasoline, so the unit's own conversion cost is reported separately. Costs mix 2008 capital with 2020 commodity prices; no escalation index is applied.

Model

147 variables — inputs, calculations and outputs, with their dependencies.

147 variables shown of 147

Value	Unit	Depends on
183	t/h	—
7884	h/year	—
1	—	—
0	—	—
0.97	MEUR/(t/h)	—
963	EUR/t	—
39.6	EUR/MWh	—
0	EUR/t	—
0.1	ratio	—
20	years	—

Variable	Formula	Unit	Depends on
	`if((<=)+(<=)+(>)+(<)+(>)+(<)+(>)+(>=)*((<)+(>))+(<)+(<)+(<)+(<)+(<=)>,,)`	bool
	`*/max(,)`	kmol/h
		h/year

Variable	Formula	Unit	Depends on
	`if(==,,if(==,,))`	%
	`++++`	%
	`if(==,/max(+,),/max(+,))*`	%
	`/max(,)`	t/t
	`**`	t/t
	`(-)`	t/t
	`/max(,)`	t/t
	`*`	t/h
	`*`	t/h
	`**`	t/h
	`-`	t/h
	`*`	t/h
	`**/max((+),)`	t/h
	`**/max((+),)`	t/h
	`(-)`	t/h
	`*`	kmol/h
	`/max(,)`	MW
	`**`	MW
	`-`	MW
	`**`	t/h
	`**`	t/h
	`(-)`	t/h
	`/max(,)`	MWh/t
	`*`	MW
	`/max(,)`	MWh/t
	`**`	h/year
	`/max(,)`	ratio
	`*`	t/year
	`/max(,)`	kt/year
	`*`	t/year
	`/max(,)`	kt/year
	`*`	t/year
	`*`	t/year
	`*`	t/year
	`*`	t/year
	`*`	MWh/year
	`*`	MWh/year
	`*/max(,)`	t/h
	`/max(,)`	t/h
	`*/max(,)`	count
	`**/max(,)`	MEUR
	`/max(,)`	MEUR/(t/h)
	`/max(,)`	ratio
	`clamp(*^(-),,)`	MEUR/(t/h)
	`if(>=,,)`	MEUR/(t/h)
	`*`	MEUR
	`*`	EUR
	`*/max(,)`	MEUR
	`if(<,/max(,),(*(+)^)/max((+)^-,))`	1/year
	`(*(+)^)/max((+*)^-,)`	1/year
	`*`	EUR/year
	`(+)`	EUR/year
	`/max(,)`	t
	`/max(,)`	t
	`(/max(,)+/max(,))/max(,)`	EUR/year
	`*`	EUR/year
	`*`	EUR/year
	`(+)*`	EUR/year
	`++++-`	EUR/year
	`/max(,)*`	EUR/t
	`/max(,)`	EUR/t
	`/max(,)`	EUR/t
	`/max(,)`	EUR/t
	`/max(,)`	EUR/t
	`-/max(,)`	EUR/t
	`/max(,)`	EUR/t
	`+++`	EUR/t
	`++`	EUR/t
	`/max(,)*`	%

Assumptions

73 assumptions used in the calculations

Guards every denominator against division by zero.
Market range Exact.
0.000001
Arithmetic identity or SI definition.
Unity, used for complements and the Customized switch.
Market range Exact.
1
Arithmetic identity or SI definition.
Zero, used in the validity guard.
Market range Exact.
0
Arithmetic identity or SI definition.
100 %, upper bound of a percentage.
Market range Exact.
100%
Arithmetic identity or SI definition.
Converts a percentage to a fraction.
Market range Exact.
0.01
Arithmetic identity or SI definition.
Hours in a non-leap year.
Market range Exact.
8760h/year
Arithmetic identity or SI definition.
Hours in a day, to turn Motunui's t/d into t/h.
Market range Exact.
24h/d
Arithmetic identity or SI definition.
Kilograms per tonne.
Market range Exact.
1000kg/t
Arithmetic identity or SI definition.
Tonnes per kilotonne.
Market range Exact.
1000t/kt
Arithmetic identity or SI definition.
Euros per million euros.
Market range Exact.
1000000EUR/MEUR
Arithmetic identity or SI definition.
1 MW = 3.6 GJ/h.
Market range Exact.
3.6GJ/h per MW
Arithmetic identity or SI definition.
Converts the PNNL lb/h stream flows and the NREL $/lb catalyst prices to SI.
Market range Exact.
0.453592kg/lb
SI definition.
Turns the methanol mass flow into a molar flow for the recycle gas and the DME step.
Market range Exact to 3 decimals.
32.042g/mol
NIST WebBook.
Mass of DME formed in the DME reactor (2 CH3OH -> CH3OCH3 + H2O).
Market range Exact to 3 decimals.
46.069g/mol
NIST WebBook.
Water released in the DME step.
Market range Exact to 3 decimals.
18.015g/mol
NIST WebBook.
Stoichiometric cross-check of the 44 wt % hydrocarbon yield: n CH3OH -> (CH2)n + n H2O.
Market range Exact to 3 decimals.
14.027g/mol
IUPAC atomic weights.
PNNL-18481 fixed-bed design case: 85 wt % of the hydrocarbons to gasoline.
Market range Not applicable.
1
Selector code.
Motunui commercial product table (NZIC): 79.9 wt % C5+ gasoline, the measured slate.
Market range Not applicable.
2
Selector code.
NZIC upper end: 'about 85-90 %' of the hydrocarbons usable as gasoline, top of range.
Market range Not applicable.
3
Selector code.
Hydrocarbon mass made per tonne of pure methanol fully converted. The stoichiometric CH2/CH3OH ratio from molar masses is 0.438, shown as a separate cross-check output.
Market range 0.438 (molar masses) to 0.44 (rounded, NREL).
0.44t/t
NREL TP-47594 Table 13.
Reaction water per tonne of methanol; closes the balance with the 0.44 t of hydrocarbons.
Market range 0.56 to 0.562 (molar masses).
0.56t/t
NREL TP-47594 Table 13.
Gasoline share of the hydrocarbons in the PNNL design case (reference case 1).
Market range 79.9 % (Motunui table) to 90 % (NZIC upper end).
85%
PNNL-18481 p.6.
Measured commercial C5+ share at Motunui (reference case 2).
Market range 79.9 % (Motunui) to 90 % (NZIC).
79.9%
NZIC p. VII-Energy-D-Methanol-15.
Upper end of the NZIC range (reference case 3). A range end, not a measured slate.
Market range
90%
NZIC p. VII-Energy-D-Methanol-14.
Fluid-bed MTG gasoline share, shown as a published reference beside the model's gasoline share. Not a case: this calculator models the fixed-bed process.
Market range Fluid bed 82 %; fixed bed 79.9-90 %.
82%
NREL TP-47594 Table 13.
Sets the LPG share of the non-gasoline hydrocarbons (10/18) in cases 1 and 3. NREL's split is for its fluid bed; applying it to the fixed-bed cases is a modelling assumption.
Market range LPG/(LPG+fuel gas) = 0.56 (NREL) to 0.93 (Motunui).
10%
NREL TP-47594 Table 13.
Sets the fuel-gas share of the non-gasoline hydrocarbons (8/18) in cases 1 and 3.
Market range See LPG share.
8%
NREL TP-47594 Table 13.
Motunui hydrocarbon slate, used in reference case 2 to split the non-gasoline hydrocarbons into fuel gas (light gas) and LPG (C3 + C4).
Market range Single commercial slate.
1.4%
NZIC p. VII-Energy-D-Methanol-15.
Motunui hydrocarbon slate, used in reference case 2 to split the non-gasoline hydrocarbons into fuel gas (light gas) and LPG (C3 + C4).
Market range Single commercial slate.
5.5%
NZIC p. VII-Energy-D-Methanol-15.
Motunui hydrocarbon slate, used in reference case 2 to split the non-gasoline hydrocarbons into fuel gas (light gas) and LPG (C3 + C4).
Market range Single commercial slate.
0.2%
NZIC p. VII-Energy-D-Methanol-15.
Motunui hydrocarbon slate, used in reference case 2 to split the non-gasoline hydrocarbons into fuel gas (light gas) and LPG (C3 + C4).
Market range Single commercial slate.
8.6%
NZIC p. VII-Energy-D-Methanol-15.
Motunui hydrocarbon slate, used in reference case 2 to split the non-gasoline hydrocarbons into fuel gas (light gas) and LPG (C3 + C4).
Market range Single commercial slate.
3.3%
NZIC p. VII-Energy-D-Methanol-15.
Motunui hydrocarbon slate, used in reference case 2 to split the non-gasoline hydrocarbons into fuel gas (light gas) and LPG (C3 + C4).
Market range Single commercial slate.
1.1%
NZIC p. VII-Energy-D-Methanol-15.
Share of the methanol dehydrated to DME + water before the ZSM-5 beds. Sizes the DME flow and the DME-step water; overall conversion is about 100 % after the ZSM-5 beds.
Market range 'Approximately 75 %' (NZIC).
75%
NZIC p. VII-Energy-D-Methanol-14.
Splits the reaction heat between the DME reactor and the ZSM-5 beds.
Market range 'About 20 %' (NZIC).
20%
NZIC p. VII-Energy-D-Methanol-14.
Total heat released by methanol-to-gasoline, removed through the recycle gas and recovered as steam.
Market range Single published value.
1740kJ/kg
NZIC p. VII-Energy-D-Methanol-17.
Recycle gas that limits the temperature rise across the adiabatic ZSM-5 beds. Sets the recycle gas molar flow; the compressor power is scaled from the PNNL anchor at this same ratio.
Market range Single design value.
9mol/mol
PNNL-18481 pp.6, 8.
Low end of durene in raw MTG gasoline: sizes the heavy-gasoline treatment duty.
Market range
3%
NZIC p. VII-Energy-D-Methanol-17.
High end of durene in raw MTG gasoline.
Market range
6%
NZIC p. VII-Energy-D-Methanol-17.
Durene level the treated gasoline is brought towards; used for the durene to remove.
Market range
0.3%
NZIC p. VII-Energy-D-Methanol-17.
Compressor power at the PNNL feed (41.57 t/h). It covers the recycle gas and the HGT hydrogen. Scaled linearly with feed at the fixed recycle ratio of 9: one anchor, so the specific power (0.072 MWh/t) is derived, not measured.
Market range Single anchor; no independent value cited.
3MW
PNNL-18481 p.11.
Methanol feed of the PNNL design, shown converted to t/h to trace the 41.57 t/h anchor.
Market range Single design value.
91,637.9lb/h
PNNL-18481 Table A-2.
Size of the CAPEX and compressor anchor: the scaling law and the compressor power are referred to it.
Market range Single design value.
41.57t/h
PNNL-18481 Table A-2, converted.
Total purchased equipment cost of the MTG area (DME reactor, ZSM-5 beds, recycle loop, three-column fractionation, HGT) at 41.57 t/h of methanol.
Market range Single anchor.
24MUSD
PNNL-18481 p.12.
Installation factor that takes the bare equipment cost to installed cost (ISBL, before indirects).
Market range Single factor set.
247%
PNNL-18481 p.9.
PNNL's indirects (engineering, construction, contingency...). Not added to the installed CAPEX: shown as a separate output and left to the project uplift.
Market range Single factor set.
126%
PNNL-18481 p.9.
Converts the 2008-dollar CAPEX to 2008 euros (and, as a stated simplification, the 2007-dollar catalyst prices too).
Market range Annual average.
1.4708USD/EUR
ECB data API.
Rounded installed cost at the anchor, published as a reference beside the anchor the model computes from the three factors.
Market range No independent value cited.
40.3MEUR
Derived from PNNL Tables 3-2, 4-2 and the ECB rate.
Economy of scale on methanol feed for the whole MTG area. NREL gives it for its MTG reactor; applying it to the whole area (fractionation, HGT) is an assumption. Motunui used 4 parallel reactors plus one regenerating, so above roughly one PNNL-size train a lower economy of scale is plausible.
Market range
0.65
NREL TP-47594 Appendix D.
Never binds inside the slider domain (checked at 25 and 400 t/h); also the lower limit of a Customized value.
Market range Not applicable.
0.2MEUR/(t/h)
Modelling guard.
Never binds inside the slider domain; also the upper limit of a Customized value.
Market range Not applicable.
3MEUR/(t/h)
Modelling guard.
Currency year of the CAPEX, fixed O&M and catalyst lines. No CEPCI escalation is applied because no index value is sourced here.
Market range Not applicable.
2008year
PNNL-18481.
Maintenance. NREL applies it to total project investment; here it is applied to installed CAPEX, a stated simplification that lowers it by about a third.
Market range
2%
NREL TP-47594.
Insurance and local taxes, on the same base as maintenance.
Market range No independent range cited.
2%
NREL TP-47594.
Sets the ZSM-5 inventory: feed (kg/h) divided by 1.84.
Market range Single design value.
1.84kg/h/kg
NREL TP-47594 Table 3.
The ZSM-5 inventory is replaced once a year.
Market range Single design value.
1years
NREL TP-47594 Table 3.
ZSM-5 price. Converted at the 2008 ECB rate without escalation from 2007, a stated simplification.
Market range No independent range cited.
53.4USD/lb
NREL TP-47594 operating cost table.
Sets the alumina DME catalyst inventory.
Market range Single design value.
6kg/h/kg
NREL TP-47594 Table 3.
The DME catalyst is replaced every two years.
Market range Single design value.
2years
NREL TP-47594 Table 3.
Alumina DME catalyst price. Its cost is below 0.2 EUR per tonne of methanol, so the value barely moves the result.
Market range No independent range cited.
11.6USD/lb
NREL TP-47594, primary page not re-established.
Design operating hours = 8760 x 90 % = 7884 h/yr; the default operating hours and the nameplate output use it.
Market range Single design value.
90%
PNNL-18481 p.10.
PNNL's rate. Shown as the reference capital recovery factor beside the one computed from your discount rate (default also 10 %).
Market range Single design value.
10%
PNNL-18481 p.10.
PNNL's plant life, used for the reference capital recovery factor and as the asset service life exported to project mode.
Market range Single design value.
20years
PNNL-18481 p.10.
Motunui methanol feed, about 183 t/h: the commercial scale reference shown beside your feed.
Market range Single plant.
4400t/d
NZIC pp. VII-Energy-D-Methanol-12/13.
Number of MTG reactors on line at Motunui; gives the feed per Motunui-size reactor (about 46 t/h) used for the reactor count.
Market range Single plant.
4
PNNL-18481 p.6.
Default of the methanol price input. It is about 98 % of the levelised cost of gasoline, so the levelised cost mainly says methanol price divided by gasoline yield.
Market range See rationale.
963EUR/t
Ruokonen 2021 Table 2.
Default of the electricity price input (recycle and HGT hydrogen compressor).
Market range See rationale.
39.6EUR/MWh
Ruokonen 2021 Table 2.
Capital, fixed O&M and catalyst are in 2008 euros, unescalated; the methanol and electricity defaults are 2020 euros. The levelised cost therefore mixes cost years: enter commodity prices in the year you want, and treat the conversion cost as a 2008-euro figure. All costs are constant euros, so the discount rate is a real rate.
Market range Not applicable (method statement).
—
Cost-basis statement.
The CAPEX is PNNL's installed cost of the MTG area (inside battery limits, installed, without indirects). It is exported as 'installed', so project mode adds only working capital and contingency on top; PNNL's indirects (126 % of TPEC) are shown as a separate output and are NOT in the exported CAPEX.
Market range Not applicable (method statement).
—
Battery-limit statement.
LPG and fuel gas carry no credit by default (conservative). The co-product credit input applies one price to both; the fuel gas is also a chainable outlet to a burner or a boiler.
Market range Not applicable (method statement).
—
Modelling choice.
The reaction heat is reported as a duty and a chainable heat outlet, but no steam credit is taken in the levelised cost: its value depends on the site.
Market range Not applicable (method statement).
—
Modelling choice.
Mobil fixed-bed MTG as built at Motunui: alumina DME reactor, adiabatic ZSM-5 swing beds with gas recycle, de-ethaniser / debutaniser / splitter, and heavy-gasoline treatment for durene. Methanol synthesis upstream and gasoline blending downstream are outside. NREL's fluid-bed MTG has an installed cost about 2.7 times lower (21.6 M$2007 at about 39 t/h, a derived feed rate), consistent with PNNL's remark that the fluid bed cuts capital; it is not modelled here.
Market range Not applicable (method statement).
—
Scope statement.
That implies 0.5 t of gasoline per t of methanol, above the stoichiometric 0.44 t of hydrocarbons, so it is not used as a yield anchor. A figure of 1,654 t/d of gasoline (APPEA AJ82004) was not verified and is not used.
Market range Not applicable (method statement).
—
Convergence note.

Fixed-bed methanol-to-gasoline (MTG) co-product unit

Mass and energy balance

CAPEX

Included

Not included

Added at project level

Project figures

Levelised cost of gasoline

Benchmarks

Gasoline share of hydrocarbons, %

All results

Levelised cost

Annual costs

Capital cost

Yields

Flows

Reactors and recycle

Heat and electricity

Published references

Sensitivities

Sources

About

Model

User inputs · 10

Constants · 65

Intermediate calcs · 3

Exposed outputs · 69

Assumptions